---o---
Big Herta took the [Key of Fateful Invitation] from around her neck, inserted it into a door, and, under the expectant gazes of the others, gently turned it.
Click! The key, laden with high hopes, successfully turned, signifying that the person Big Herta wished to invite had appeared within the invitation space.
But Big Herta didn't stop there. She took another, projected [Key of Fateful Invitation] from Chen Li's hand and inserted it into a second door.
The first door, naturally, was to invite the long-awaited Aeon of Erudition, Nous.
The second door was to invite the Silent Lord, Polka Kakamot.
Big Herta had decided to launch a surprise attack this time, summoning the Silent Lord to the invitation space and then leaving her there to cool her heels for thirty minutes.
Real-world time is frozen when one enters the invitation space, but one can also choose not to freeze it—it's very flexible. That's how Curios are. You have to endure their side effects, but you can choose to decline the benefits they offer. For example, you could just watch the ads for the Revival Card without ever using it, becoming a pure collector. If you love to suffer, no one will stop you.
Big Herta was confident that the Silent Lord had made many preparations after being bested the first time, and she had no intention of letting her have her way.
Warfare is the art of deception.
Sun Tzu, that son of a gun, was a real son of a bitch.
"Quick, give it to me." Before Big Herta could push the door open, Chen Li used his fictional ability to project the [Key of Fateful Invitation] back to its state from thirty seconds ago.
The cost of projecting an item's history into the present is related to the length of that "history." The shorter the time gap, the lower the cost.
"What, is there someone you're desperate to invite?" Big Herta found it strange.
"Mm," Chen Li nodded.
"Then you can have the original Curio back for now. Just remember to give it back to me when you're done. I need to continue my surprise attacks on the Silent Lord tomorrow!" Big Herta handed the key, strung on a cord, to Chen Li.
Ever since getting the [Key of Fateful Invitation], Big Herta had replaced the original key on her chest with this one. It was useful and looked good.
"Let's go. It's time to have a conversation with an Aeon," Chen Li said, collecting the key and looking at the door in front of Big Herta.
"We should get going, but will those two be alright?" Big Herta glanced at Baiheng and Little Jingliu.
Not just anyone could meet an Aeon. The burden of doing so was immense. People within the invitation space could also harm each other.
"Little Jingliu is currently in her Yingying state, so she won't be affected by Nous's mental pressure. Baiheng is a Heroic Spirit, and I just had Jingliu revert to her human form to use a Command Spell to strengthen her, so she should be fine too. Even if Baiheng starts spouting nonsense due to the mental strain, turning her into a Yingying will cure her. [Mengyin Shen] specializes in treating burdens!" Chen Li nodded.
"…Could you two maybe not discuss this right in front of me?" Baiheng retorted.
The talisman Chen Li had forged also granted the Master side Command Spells. There were three in total, and one was restored each day. Using all three at once could even revive a deceased Heroic Spirit, making it quite overpowered.
"I'm curious, just how much Fiction Value do you have?"
"Still quite a bit. Using the power of an entire civilization to create a fictional history, and making a new civilization believe it wholeheartedly for 5,000 years after a 50,000-year gap, gives a decent amount. We should go. If you're not going to push the door, I will."
"Let me do it!" Little Herta shoved the door open, causing Big Herta's outstretched hand to miss.
"For ruining such a ceremonial moment, I'm docking half a day's pay from you," Big Herta said after flicking Little Herta's forehead.
Little Herta's salary was paid in Herta-Coins, the universal currency of the Herta Space Station. Although naming a currency after oneself was a bit narcissistic, it fit Big Herta's character.
"Don't do that. Little Herta is still just a child!" Chen Li pleaded on Little Herta's behalf.
"No deal."
"Oh."
The only reason Chen Li was pleading for Little Herta was that he had successfully convinced Big Herta, using Little Herta's young age as a reason, to hand over Little Herta's salary directly to him for safekeeping until she came of age. However, Chen Li had designated the day Little Herta gained her [Machine Spirit] as her birthday, so…
I should hold a one-month celebration for Little Herta later. I wonder how much gift money I could collect… Maybe I should ask Nous?
[…]
The little spirit was already starting to pity Nous. Fortunately, Nous didn't have Dr. Ratio's "strange illness" of wanting to die upon encountering an idiot.
As the door to the invitation space opened, the group gazed upon the incomparably magnificent figure and filed in one by one.
"O, all-knowing existence, we ask of you…" Big Herta stood before the others, holding the Miracle Card and looking directly at the great being who controlled the Path of Erudition.
"How does one make a cake so fragrant that smelling it brings happiness and an unconscious smile?"
The great machine head, representing wisdom, had expected some profound discourse from Big Herta, but her question was truly unexpected…
Alright, it wasn't that unexpected.
Knowing the effect of the [Then I Ask You] Miracle Card, and knowing that Big Herta held the right to use it, Nous was not surprised that she would ask such a question.
It was mainly just speechless.
Everything in the world of Honkai: Star Rail was within Nous's calculations!
Except for Curios.
---o---
"…"
"…"
"We just met Nous, right?" Standing before the now-closed door, Big Herta touched the somewhat pointy hat on her head.
"Yes."
"And we asked questions, right?" Big Herta vaguely remembered asking her questions. One was how to make a cake that made people happy just by smelling it, and the other was asking Nous about the nature of divinity. She had used both of her chances with the Miracle Card at once.
"Correct," Chen Li nodded.
"So what were the answers?" Big Herta tilted her head.
"I forgot," Ruan Mei shook her head.
"Chen Li, I have to ask you again. Was the side effect of the [Key of Fateful Invitation] intentional or an accident?" Big Herta looked at Chen Li, exasperated.
"I told you, I needed to add some side effects to this Curio to inversely strengthen its main effect. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to meet Nous. The fact that this was the side effect wasn't up to me," Chen Li said.
The [Key of Fateful Invitation] had two side effects. One was that summoning a target that was too powerful or extremely resistant might fail. The other was that after each use, the user would gradually forget a key part of the meeting (like the conversation content or the other person's expression), eventually being left with only a vague impression of having "met."
Just like now.
Big Herta had forgotten the key memories to the point where all she remembered was that she had asked questions.
"The negative effects of a Curio are weakened for me, the Curio Forger, so I still vaguely remember some things. But missing a few key details can lead to a huge misunderstanding of the results and the facts…" Chen Li expressed his regret.
"Chen Li, quick, use your invincible Curios to think of something!" Little Herta tugged on Chen Li's sleeve.
"Don't panic. Although we've forgotten key memories due to the side effect, something else can help us record them." As he spoke, Chen Li looked at his deck of Miracle Cards.
Just as he had anticipated, after asking Nous a series of strange questions, he had successfully condensed a new Miracle Card.
The true function of a Miracle Card was to record the great deeds Chen Li had accomplished, and the "recording" effect of a Miracle Card overrode the "memory loss" effect of the [Key of Fateful Invitation]!
However, the name of this new Miracle Card left Chen Li a bit speechless.
[Great Wit, Dim Wit] (Miracle Card): Harassing the god of wisdom with moronic questions, that's rich coming from you lot! I'll say it again, the moron bar doesn't accept actual morons!
Effect 1: When you ask a question that sounds reasonable or is theoretically logically self-consistent, it will cause the target to fall into deep thought. The duration of their contemplation is related to their intelligence; the higher the intelligence, the longer they think. (Ineffective against questions that are not "moronic.")
Effect 2: Can be used to forge a Curio.
"Great Wit, Dim Wit…"
[Short for "moron."]
"You don't have to remind me."
Couldn't Chen Li see that?
Although Chen Li couldn't fully remember all the strange questions his group had asked Nous, with this Miracle Card in hand, every embarrassing act was worth it.
What did it mean to ask moronic questions? We were asking moronic questions to create a Miracle Card to preserve the truly meaningful questions among them! This was a different kind of cleverness!
It was all part of the plan! (He was sure of it.)
"Alright, everyone, gather 'round. Our efforts were not in vain. We successfully extracted a Miracle Card. By looking at it, you can find out what key memories you've forgotten," Chen Li said, showing the card to the group.
The three geniuses—Big Herta, Screwllum, and Ruan Mei—drew closer. Little Herta, Baiheng, and Little Jingliu also came over to join the fun. The first three were interested in the answers to their questions; the latter three were interested in what had happened.
As their eyes fell upon the Miracle Card, they seemed to be pulled back to that moment when they stood before Nous, taking turns to bombard It with questions.
"If a blue planet is 70% ocean and 30% land, where did the other 30% of the ocean and 70% of the land go?" "Is a 'Seeing Eye Dogs Prohibited' sign written for people or for dogs?" "If I overcome myself, does that also mean I have lost to myself?" "Xiao Ming was under too much stress, drank himself to death, and died. Was he killed by the alcohol or by his past?" "When there are nine suns in the sky, which direction should a sunflower face?" …
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Chen Li, you should probably seal this Miracle Card away. At the very least, don't let people view its contents casually," Big Herta said with a "gentle" smile after seeing what was on the card.
"Eh, why? I think this card's effect is quite good, and the history it records is rather shocking," Chen Li said, fiddling with the souvenir-grade card.
"Because this card will utterly RU-IN our RE-PU-TA-TIONS in the genius community!" Big Herta's tone was heavy.
Screwllum and Ruan Mei both nodded in solemn agreement.
Adhering to the principle of treating everyone equally, Chen Li's group had asked a total of ten questions. Among them, the three true geniuses—Big Herta, Screwllum, and Ruan Mei—had each asked at least two moron-level questions.
The reason was that some of the geniuses were afraid that when they reviewed the recording later, the geniuses who weren't present or hadn't asked a question would laugh at them. The simplest solution was to have everyone ask a question. If you drag everyone down into the mud with you, no one can claim to be clean.
So, although the three of them had gotten the answers they wanted from Nous, they weren't particularly happy right now.
On one hand, even knowing the answers, the process of realizing them still had to be explored by themselves. Understanding knowledge that far surpassed one's limits would only add to their troubles. It was like telling a villager about nuclear fusion technology; they could only sigh at the vast ocean of knowledge before them. They had no funds, no technology, and no tools. Besides, based on the principle that "the answers of the universe transcend the limits of mortal wisdom," the three of them had not asked overly demanding questions.
On the other hand, it was because Chen Li now held a recording of their embarrassing moments, and barring any accidents, this embarrassing history would never be lost.
"You're killing the donkey after it's done its work! This Miracle Card helped you record your conversation with an Aeon, and now you're trying to burn the bridge after crossing it!"
"You're not wrong, but…"
"I can lend you this card to go ask the Silent Lord some questions," Chen Li said, pointing to the door to Herta and Polka Kakamot's invitation space, which would disappear in two minutes.
They hadn't spent the full thirty minutes in Nous's invitation space, so Big Herta still had time to go harass the Silent Lord.
"…But then again, this Miracle Card contains the answers we want. We can view it occasionally to review the knowledge within," Big Herta said, switching to Chen Li's side after barely half a second of thought.
"…" was the response from Ruan Mei and Screwllum.
Big Herta had led the charge on behalf of the three geniuses, but she was also the first to surrender, which nipped any thought of opposition from the other two in the bud. And so, the matter was happily decided.
"Give me the Miracle Card. I'm heading out. Got any good moronic questions?" Big Herta asked casually after taking the card.
Hearing this, everyone subconsciously looked at Chen Li.
"Why are you all looking at me? Is that my image in your minds? Someone who only comes up with moronic questions?"
"But you were the one who provided all the moronic questions we asked in the invitation space," Big Herta said matter-of-factly.
"I looked them up on Baidu."
"Then look up some more."
"Oh, got one. Am I the relic that my childhood self left behind in this world?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
The three geniuses—Big Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum—fell into deep thought.
"What kind of stupid question is that?" Baiheng retorted from the side after thinking for a moment. But she immediately noticed Chen Li looking at her with pity.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Hey, why are you all thinking about this moronic question?" Baiheng looked around and found that she was the only one uninterested in the question. Even Little Herta was contemplating it.
"…"
Oh no. According to the Miracle Card's effect, does my lack of interest in the moronic question mean I'm the real "moron"?
"Don't doubt yourself. You've already tried your best. This is a normal person's level. Geniuses like them are just incomprehensible," Chen Li said, patting Baiheng's shoulder comfortingly.
"Oh." Baiheng felt much better.
"Sometimes, the gap between people is greater than the gap between a person and Peppy," Chen Li said.
"That makes sense. But who's Peppy?"
"The pet dog of the Herta Space Station's master, Asta."
"…"
A normal person's IQ is around 100, a dog's is around 60, and next to Chen Li were three geniuses with IQs of at least 300.
"Alright, wake up. You need to take this question to the Silent Lord," Chen Li said, patting Big Herta's face to snap her out of her contemplation.
"Huh? Oh. You sneakily activated the Miracle Card! Its effect is so despicable!"
"Despicable or not, if you don't go now, the room will close."
"Let me borrow the Disguise Glasses."
"Here."
Big Herta put on the Disguise Glasses, took the Miracle Card, and set off with the "moronic" question from Chen Li.
"From a practical standpoint, this Miracle Card of yours is practically invincible. It can hard-control even a normal person for several seconds, and Ruan Mei, Little Herta, and Screwllum are still thinking. If you were to attack them while they're thinking, would they snap out of it when they sense killing intent, or only after the attack lands?" Baiheng asked.
Baiheng had quite naturally accepted the fact that she wasn't as intelligent as these geniuses. Every member of the Genius Society could lead the trends of an entire universe; it was normal for her to be far inferior to them.
"They should snap out of it when they sense an attack approaching. In any case, why don't we just test it?" Chen Li walked a short distance away, took out a sunflower seed, and flicked it at Little Herta's hat. Because it was a ranged attack, it carried the murderous aura of the [One Arrow Once Slew a Million Demons] Entry. The seed was shrouded in black energy, looking quite intimidating.
Just as the seed was about to land on Little Herta's hat, she suddenly snapped awake, ducked, and covered her head, dodging the attack.
"Chen Li! What are you doing?!" Little Herta glared "fiercely" at Chen Li.
"Just an experiment to see how to wake you up after you fall into deep thought. It proves that simple conversation is ineffective…" Chen Li glanced at Screwllum and Ruan Mei, who remained undisturbed even by Little Herta's furious shout.
"But if it's an attack, even a weak one, a contemplative person with sharp enough senses will awaken the moment before it lands."
Both Chen Li attacking Little Herta with a seed and him patting Big Herta's face proved this fact.
"So, Little Herta, if you try to draw a turtle on Ruan Mei's thigh, she'll notice," Chen Li reminded her.
"Oh, this card is useless then. I thought it would induce a state of deep thought," Little Herta said, putting down her paintbrush.
"Not necessarily. Maybe a touch without any ill intent won't disturb her. You can try, but if you get beaten up, don't say I encouraged you."
"I'm doing this in the name of scientific research. I'm sure Ruan Mei will understand," Little Herta gave a thumbs-up and then poked Ruan Mei's thigh.
Ruan Mei merely glanced at Little Herta before returning to her deep thought.
"What does that mean?" Little Herta turned her head and asked.
"Maybe it's because you and Ruan Mei are on good terms. Baiheng, you try," Chen Li said.
"Me? Alright." Baiheng thought for a moment, walked over to Ruan Mei, and tried to poke her with a finger.
This time, however, before her finger could touch Ruan Mei, Ruan Mei took a step back, dodging Baiheng's "attack." After evading, she stopped contemplating and looked around. After confirming her surroundings were safe, Ruan Mei began thinking again.
"Alright, we have our results. This contemplative state must have some kind of alert level. Only when the alert level is full will they be completely awakened," Chen Li nodded.
And to raise the alert level, one needed to get within a certain range of the target. This meant that after using this Miracle Card to ask a genius or a sage a moronic question, the user would have a considerable amount of time to prepare, either by calling for backup or by charging up an attack.
Chen Li felt that rather than [Great Wit, Dim Wit], this Miracle Card was better suited to be called [Genius Killer].
Little Herta didn't fall back into contemplation, probably because the "killing intent" on the sunflower seed was too effective. And Big Herta had been reminded of more urgent matters after being briefly snapped out of it.
"Does this mean I can draw a turtle on Ruan Mei's thigh now?" Little Herta stroked her chin.
"…"
Can't you be a little more ambitious?
Like drawing a turtle on Ruan Mei's face.
---o---
"What… what happened here?" When a satisfied Big Herta returned to the room, she saw Little Herta squatting on the side, holding her head, Ruan Mei wiping her snow-white thigh with a wet wipe, and the rest of the group gloating.
A moment ago, Big Herta had detached the removable door representing the invitation space with the Silent Lord, ran to a completely sealed room, put on the Disguise Glasses, and stood at the entrance trading taunts with her. Because she hadn't entered the invitation space, real-world time wasn't frozen. So, Big Herta vaguely remembered being gone for less than four minutes.
"It's a long story."
"Then make it short."
"Little Herta deserved it."
"Understood," Big Herta nodded.
"Don't be so concise!" Little Herta fumed helplessly.
"I told you, if you wanted to draw a turtle on Ruan Mei's thigh, you had to be prepared to get beaten up."
"…Look at this, Chen Li. Little Herta has only been with you for a short time, and she's already learned to be bad from you," Big Herta sighed quickly after hearing the reason, seemingly in a hurry to distance herself from Little Herta.
"???" was Chen Li's response.
Seriously, sister, this is my fault too?
You know better than anyone how clear your relationship with Ruan Mei is!
"Forget it. The matter of questioning Nous is now over. Everyone, go back to your own homes and find… find your own things to do," Chen Li said, changing his words midway.
He had just remembered that of the six people present—Ruan Mei, Screwllum, Big Herta, Baiheng, Jingliu, and himself—you couldn't even form two pairs of parents.
"I need to arrange the transportation and construction of the Empire's production lines. I've heard that in other worlds, there seems to be an interstellar treaty preventing advanced civilizations from transmitting high technology to developing planetary civilizations. But thankfully, this universe doesn't have such a treaty. And Najenda is in urgent need of more food and daily necessities to stabilize the new Empire," Screwllum said.
As an elegant mechanical aristocrat, Screwllum always liked to see things through to the end.
"The largest interstellar force in the universe right now, the Interastral Peace Corporation, wishes for nothing more than for all discovered planets to join their credit point monetary system. They certainly wouldn't establish that kind of interstellar treaty," Big Herta said casually.
In fact, the IPC's favorite thing to do was to extend an olive branch to developing civilizations that hadn't yet achieved interstellar travel. And if a planet didn't want to join the credit point system… then they would first destroy that planet's monetary system before annexing it.
That's why many criminals with bounties issued by the IPC were, in the eyes of certain factions, seen as having a certificate of morality. This was especially true for IPC-wanted criminals from the Galaxy Ranger faction.
What?He's a Galaxy Ranger?And he's wanted by the IPC?Then how could he possibly be a bad guy!
"I've been invited by Mobius to study the Honkai Beast system in the Honkai civilization. That world seems very interesting," Ruan Mei said.
Screwllum, Ruan Mei, and Big Herta had all received their answers from Nous. But as their understanding of the multiverse expanded, the ambitions of these geniuses grew stronger. They were no longer satisfied with exploring the problems of their own worlds.
"…Just don't break the Previous Era. Don't do anything reckless," was all Chen Li had to say to Ruan Mei.
Among the three geniuses present, Ruan Mei's ideas were perhaps the most insane, but she was also the most "rational." In other words, her madness was predictable, so there was no need to worry about her creating something too world-shattering in the Honkai world.
"Mm. I heard you plan to use that world as your base of operations. Is there anything I can help you with? Or do you have any requests?" Ruan Mei nodded and then asked.
"Can you research how to make Honkai Beasts taste better?" Chen Li asked after a moment of thought.
"…I'll do my best." For a moment, Ruan Mei felt that Chen Li might be even more "insane" than she was.
"Then I'm going to make a cake! I finally got the method for making a delicious cake from Nous," Big Herta announced.
"Knowing the method doesn't mean you can actually make it," Chen Li reminded her.
"Don't underestimate me! Don't underestimate a genius!"
"Whatever makes you happy."
"Then I'll take Little Jingliu for a walk around the Herta Space Station. Speaking of which, it's about time to change her back to normal, right?" Baiheng said.
"…After I go on my date with the Aeon, then you can change her back. Let my dear teacher cool off a bit while she waits." The moment Baiheng brought this up, Chen Li planned his escape.
Although it was human nature to want to pet Little Jingliu, it was also human nature for Jingliu to want to beat up Chen Li.
"Before you leave, answer one question," Big Herta called out to him.
"What is it?"
"Am I the relic that my childhood self left behind in this world?"
"…No."
Seeing that Big Herta was still contemplating this question, Chen Li could only praise the Miracle Card as terrifyingly effective. It was truly super effective against geniuses.
"Alright, you can go now." After getting her answer, Big Herta began to shoo him away.
"I won't freeze real-world time while I use the [Key of Fateful Invitation]. I look forward to tasting your cake in thirty minutes."
"No problem. Guaranteed delicious, bro," Big Herta gave a thumbs-up.
Chen Li waved goodbye to the others, then took out a rice ball and a sheet of nori, made a simple seaweed-wrapped rice ball, and turned the [Key of Fateful Invitation]. He wasn't sure if the aroma of his food could pass through the Key, but it was worth a try.
"What is Chen Li… trying to do?" Ruan Mei was curious.
"I remember that the food Chen Li makes has the effect of luring gods. He's probably trying to bait a god. Speaking of which, I only find this aroma delicious, but I don't feel lured at all. It seems I really don't count as a god," Big Herta nodded.
Big Herta had originally wanted to have Chen Li taste her fingernails or hair—her renewable parts—to determine if she was a god, but she was too busy yesterday and didn't get to experiment.
"A god? Which god could it be…" The group's gaze fell upon the unopened door. The Key had been turned, meaning the invitation was complete.
When Chen Li pushed the door open, another magnificent life form appeared before them, and Chen Li immediately tossed the rice ball at it.
"Who is that?" Baiheng didn't recognize the bewitching figure, but she found the faint, melodious song drifting from the invitation space very beautiful.
"The Aeon of Voracity, Ouroboros." Gazing at the somewhat bewitching humanoid form, Ruan Mei narrowed her eyes.
That bewitching humanoid form was actually Ouroboros's… tongue and lure. Ouroboros would manifest in a red ocean, using its song as bait to entice life, creating a desire to be devoured by It. If not for the fact that It was in the invitation space, the group would have found the song more than just "beautiful."
"Huh? Another Aeon?"
"Alright, I'm off to have an eating contest with the Aeon of Voracity. See you in half an hour," Chen Li said as he stepped into the invitation space and closed the door with a smile.
"…That guy Chen Li has more guts than I thought. Having an eating contest with the Aeon of Voracity, very brave indeed," Big Herta said, stroking her chin.
"And Chen Li probably plans to invite more than one Aeon today. Did you notice? He used a projection of the Key to open the door. I wonder which Aeon will be the second victim," Ruan Mei said.
"Who knows. You two go on with your business. I'll tell you the results later," Big Herta said.
"Mm." Screwllum and Ruan Mei nodded and then departed for their respective other worlds. Screwllum was heading to the world of Akame ga Kill!, and Ruan Mei to the Previous Era. Big Herta stayed at the space station to make a cake.
Everyone had a bright future ahead of them!
"Open the door, please." Just as Big Herta turned to go make her cake, a voice entered her ears.
"Hm?" Big Herta froze, then looked up at the sky.
At an infinitely vast distance, a figure shrouded in countless masks smiled down at her. Upon meeting this gaze, as if infected, a smile unconsciously appeared on Big Herta's face as well.
"I've come to collect my payment for relaying your message to Nous. Letting me watch the fun shouldn't be too much to ask, right?" The voice of the Aeon of Elation, mixed with laughter, reached Big Herta's ears.
Personally creating fun or actively offering oneself up to watch it was not Aha's style. The Aeon of Elation just wanted to quietly watch the fun. But the problem was, fun on the level of "someone dares to challenge the Aeon of Voracity to an eating contest, and the Aeon might actually be at a disadvantage" was the kind you'd truly regret missing. If Aha didn't watch this, he definitely wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
"…" Hearing Aha's reason, Big Herta felt it was perfectly in character.
Out of the belief that one should repay what one borrows so one can borrow again, Big Herta sent a message to Chen Li via the Friends Circle for advice. After getting an affirmative reply, she didn't rush to open the door, but instead looked up and asked a question.
"Aeon of Elation, why don't you open the door yourself?"
The Aeon of Elation did not speak, only laughed.
Hilarious. You want me to open the door?
I think you want me to get infected by the Mengyin virus.
Ever since seeing Chen Li forge something like the Mengyin virus, Aha had put an infinite distance between himself and his "spying" on Chen Li. Aha needed to ensure that as long as Chen Li didn't use the unrestricted mode, which would allow the virus to spread via line of sight, he wouldn't get infected.
Aha didn't know what the upper limit of this Mengyin virus was, but he had no desire to test it personally. This Curio Forger, Chen Li, could bring Aha a lot of fun, but Aha had no intention of becoming part of the fun himself right now.
Becoming the fun was the final fun.
You don't use your ultimate move right at the start of a meeting, do you?
No, he couldn't think about it anymore.
An Aeon of Elation turned into a Yingying sounded very interesting…
Seeing that Aha wasn't answering, Big Herta knew she wouldn't get an answer from him and decisively pushed open the door to the invitation space. The door couldn't normally be opened by just anyone, but Big Herta, as the holder of the other [Key of Fateful Invitation], was an exception.
The faint, melodious song once again drifted out of the invitation space. Big Herta glanced inside and then immediately covered Little Herta's eyes.
"What are you doing? I can't see." Little Herta tried to pull Big Herta's hand away but was powerless to resist.
"Not suitable for children."
"Can you not treat me like a child? I'm another you!"
"Still not suitable for children."
Seeing Big Herta's action, Baiheng hesitated for a moment and then covered Little Jingliu's eyes.
It really wasn't suitable for children.
In truth, the scene inside the invitation space wasn't bloody or violent, with no flying flesh and gore, because Chen Li had long since burrowed into some unknown part of the massive Aeon of Voracity. As an Aeon ascended from an ancient beast of dusk, Ouroboros was boundlessly huge.
The kind that couldn't fit in one pot!
The reason Big Herta said it was not suitable for children was that the form of Ouroboros's exposed lure was a bit too revealing, too seductive… She didn't know if It had prepared this form specifically to devour Chen Li, but in any case, the lure's current appearance was vastly different from when the door was first opened.
One could only say that Ouroboros might not understand Chen Li, but It certainly understood humans, especially human males.
---o---
"I knew it. I knew there was a problem with one of the Matrix of Prescience's three foundation arrays. Otherwise, there's no reason it would make a mistake." After hearing Qingque's report, Fu Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
Before getting Qingque's reply, Fu Xuan had been wondering if she was not in top form today. As an artifact created with guidance from Nous, Fu Xuan would doubt herself before she would ever doubt the Matrix of Prescience.
"As long… as you're happy, ma'am," the breathless Qingque said listlessly.
Inspecting the Matrix's foundation arrays wasn't as simple as a game of connect-the-dots; it was a very tedious job.
"The fact that you could complete the task shows you have potential. I will work hard to cultivate you."
"Uh, Master Diviner, perhaps you should continue divining Chen Li. I think that's more important," Qingque, who had absolutely no desire to be personally cultivated by Fu Xuan, quickly changed the subject.
"Hmph! Fine, let's divine first. This time, it will definitely succeed! Let me see where Chen Li is now and what he's doing!" The third eye on Fu Xuan's forehead suddenly lit up, and the Matrix of Prescience slowly began to operate.
Perhaps influenced by the Elation Die, Fu Xuan was particularly fixated on winning against Chen Li this time.
"Wait, what do you mean he's having a candlelight dinner with the Aeon of Voracity in a dating restaurant?" Seeing the detection result, Fu Xuan was once again profoundly shaken.
Seriously, bro, is this normal?
If you're really having a candlelight dinner with the Aeon of Voracity, are you sure you're not the dinner?
And who's the candle?
"Qingque, re-inspect the three foundation arrays of the Matrix of Prescience. It's made another mistake! Be more thorough this time," Fu Xuan shouted at Qingque beside her.
"Ah, again? Didn't I just check it?" Qingque wailed.
"Perhaps you touched one of the foundation arrays and caused another one to malfunction, just like a programmer fixing a bug that causes another bug. In any case, hurry up and go," Fu Xuan said.
In fact, repairing the Matrix of Prescience really did have a lot in common with a programmer fixing bugs, because the Matrix also ran on big data.
"Master Diviner, could there be a possibility that your divination is correct? That Chen Li just has… that kind of taste?" Qingque asked tentatively.
"Absolutely impossible. Now go!"
The Matrix of Prescience cannot observe Aeons. Its principles were indeed a gift from Nous, but the Matrix was not Nous Itself. It couldn't handle such a high-level game (involving Aeons).
To Fu Xuan, Qingque's words sounded as ridiculous and laughable as the Progenitor of Plagues caressing the pecs of the Lord of the Hunt.
To this, Fu Xuan's assessment was: A ship can be a rarepair, but it can't be a cursed pair.
---o---